Sometimes the best adventures come together at the last minute. When a friend invited me to tag along on her stop in Bristol, Tennessee before continuing on her travels, I couldn’t pass it up. Just about two hours from home, it turned into the perfect little East Tennessee getaway.
A Quick Getaway to Bristol 📍
One of the things I love about living in East Tennessee is how many places are within a couple of hours of home. You can have a normal morning, hop in the car, and by that afternoon you’re exploring somewhere completely different.
Bristol is one of those places.
Straddling the Tennessee-Virginia state line, Bristol has a charming downtown filled with local shops, restaurants, murals, history, and plenty of places to wander.
We didn’t have a packed itinerary. We just wanted to explore, eat some good food, do a little shopping, and enjoy a night away.
And that’s exactly what we did.
Staying at The Sessions Hotel 🎶
We stayed at The Sessions Hotel, right in the heart of downtown Bristol. We were greeted with the cutest music inspired room with a record player and vinyl waiting for us. This was a sweet ode to the history of Bristol, being known as the birthplace of country music.
The hotel was a fun part of the trip in itself. Its location made it easy to walk around downtown and explore without having to spend the whole trip in the car.
There’s something especially nice about staying somewhere right in the middle of the action when you’re only there for a short time. You can check in, head out to explore, come back to freshen up, and head back out again.
Vintage & Thrift Shopping 🛍️
Of course, we had to do a little shopping.
We spent some time browsing vintage and thrift shops around Bristol, looking for those unexpected finds that make shopping in a new town so much fun.
Shopping for thrifted or vintage finds is so much fun because you never really know what you’re going to find. It’s less about having a list and more about wandering around and seeing what catches your eye.
And Bristol was a fun place to do just that.
A Stop at the Bristol Sign ✨
We didn’t have much of a plan for this last minute adventure, but we did know we HAD to stop at the iconic Bristol VA/TN sign for photos. This sign marks the Tennessee-Virginia state line. We got a few good shots and then headed up to a rooftop bar where we got even better pictures of the sign.
Drinks & Apps at Lumac 🥂
Later that evening, we headed to Lumac Rooftop Bar for drinks and appetizers.
Rooftop dining is always a good idea, especially when you’re trying to slow down and enjoy a night away.
We grabbed a few drinks and apps, took in the atmosphere, admired the Bristol sign against the beautiful mountain backdrop, and just enjoyed our time together in a fun new place. A relaxed evening that was much needed; a break from our normal obligations and responsibilities.
It was one of those simple moments that made the whole trip feel like a getaway—even though we were only a couple of hours from home.
Donuts & Ice Cream at Blackbird Bakery 🍦🐦⬛
And because no trip is complete without something sweet, we stopped at Blackbird Bakery. This place is very highly recommended, and we now know why! It was bustling when we stopped in. The interior was quite spacious and had plenty of room to sit, relax and enjoy your treats.
We grabbed both a donut and ice cream, because apparently one dessert wasn’t enough.
Honestly, this is one of my favorite things about little getaways. It doesn’t have to be extravagant. Sometimes it’s a good dessert after dinner, walking around a new downtown, or staying up a little later than you normally would.
Those are the things you remember.
Breakfast in Bristol 🥯☕️
The next morning, we grabbed breakfast at Bristol Bagel & Bakery and took one last mural picture - there are so many beautiful murals scattered around the town!
It was the perfect way to end our quick Bristol adventure—something easy, delicious, and no rush to get back on the road.
You Don’t Have to Go Far ⛰️
Our Bristol trip was a good reminder that you don’t have to take a week off or travel hundreds of miles to have an adventure.
Sometimes you just need a free day, a couple of hours in the car, and a place you haven’t explored yet. Oh, and a little spontaneity 😄
For us, that place was Bristol.
From staying at The Sessions Hotel and wandering downtown to vintage and thrift shopping, rooftop drinks, late-night sweets, and a bagel breakfast the next morning, our little last-minute getaway packed a lot into about 24 hours.
And I think that’s what made me love it so much.
It was easy.
It was close.
And it felt like a soulful, southern getaway.
So if you’re in East Tennessee and looking for a quick escape, Bristol is definitely worth the drive. You might just find that your next journey is only two hours away.
